Sunday, December 6, 2009

VP Noli gets more support

CABANATUAN CITY — At least three senators have thrown their support behind Vice President Noli “Kabayan” de Castro after a lawmaker belittled him earlier.

In a statement sent here over the weekend, Senators Richard Gordon, Pia Cayetano and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan have affirmed their support to the call of former President Fidel V. Ramos for President Arroyo to resign and strongly vouched for De Castro as “more than qualified” to take over the presidency.

“That was what the people voted him for, to succeed the President the same way Arroyo did when former President Joseph 'Erap' Estrada was ousted from office,” said Gordon who trailed De Castro in early polls on 2010 presidentiables.

Earlier, Ramos called on Mrs. Arroyo to step down after she filed her candidacy for the congressional seat of her hometown, the 2nd district of Pampanga.

“I am the Vice President and I have a constitutional duty that I swore to perform. Recession or not, my constitutional duty remains. I have been with the Cabinet for almost six years and I was a senator for three years and in public service for decades as a veteran in news and public affairs,” De Castro pointed out.

The Vice President would have been the presumptive administration party standard-bearer in 2010 but the former “trusted newscaster” chooses not to run for office.

Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez earlier scoffed at the prospect of De Castro taking over Malacañang should President Arroyo step down and belittled the Vice President’s abilities to lead the country during economic crisis.

“It is my constitutional duty to dispense the duties and responsibilities of the President in a constitutional succession the moment President Arroyo steps down,” De Castro pointed out.